Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-06-30

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BENEFITS HoUsE.-Where Sherman and John
ston Met to Arrange for the Surrender OF tho
LatteF's Army.
United States, and upon the 2lst Of April
its commander issued an address to his
soldiers containing these words: With
you rests the hopes Of our Nation (the Con-
federacy), and upon your action depends
the fate of our people. Stand by your
colors-maintain your discipline-be the
means of checking the triumph of our enc
my, and securing the final triumph OF our
causein
forces east of the Mississippi had capitu-
lated, General E. Kirby Smith surrendered
to General L. r. s. Canbv.
Meantime, his warlike address had caused
the United States authorities to set on foot
a large expedition under General p. II.
Sheridan. for the overthrow of all enemies
in Texas and Western Louisiana But
General Smith finally concluded further
resistance folly, and capitulated as stated.
After the fall Of Mobile, April O. General
Richard Taylor withdrew the greater part
of the troops composing the Army Of Ala
bama toward the interior, but finally, at
Chronicle, Ala, May 4, turned over 70
General E. r s. Candy all munitions OF
war, public property OF q military charac-
ter, and surrendered his army. At the
same time and place Commodore Tarrand,
of the Confederate navy, surrendered the
naval forces on the Tombgbee river. A
part of these, with some transports, made
up the fleet that the writer came upon so
unexpectedly as spoken OF in last number.
In few days arrangements were made
for all the Union troops TO go 20 Mobile up
on the captured transports. One OF these
was the Southern Republic" large
three decker" 1t had been the property
of two brothers at Mobile, who, grew rich
in the African slave trade. About Mobile
were some natives of Africa who, after
being kidnapped, had been brought over to
this country and sold into slavery
Upon the transports were few Confed-
crates dressed in Their convep tional gray.
Most of these were officers, and some OF
them were from Lees army and had got
thus far on their journey homeward.
Atlast all were aboard and started down
the river for Mobile. The last hostile move
ment having been made against the enemy,
and with no more in prospect, came new
sensation-the long, cruel war had at last
ended. Those who have reached mature
age since wartime can have no adequate
realization OF the long days of bloody bat
tie, anxiety and anguish, that heightened
out into weeks, months and years, from
April, 1861, till April, 1855.
Tho trip to Mobile was quickly made
The river was full aud the current swift;
the banks were for the most part covered
with unbroken forest some OF the larger
trees overhanging the waters edge. All
the trees of the forest were covered with
long gray moss that dropped from the
boughs and fell over the foliage in a grace
ful manner, lights airy and beautiful as lace
work.
After reaching Mobile the division went
into camp about three miles from the city
upon the hills.
The writer's company was encamped in
the yard of one of the brothers-Dame for
gotten-before referred to as one of the
owners of the Southern Republic" and
who had grown rich before the war in the
African slave trade.
The house was a large, square, plain
structure, but pleasant and home like
While all active military services was at an
end there were yet formal camp services to
perform; among these was guard duty.
However, in this all soon grew lax, and the
writer more than once about this period
remembers waking from sound sleep the
party whom he was to relieve. Two hours
IN the middle of night at some lone spot
under such circumstances the writer more
than once resorted TO counting. After
learning by trial how many could be count
ed in q given time, 1t was readily ascer-
tanned, by approximation, OF course, the
number that would be counted in two
hours; then upon mounting guard the
counting of this number was resolutely en-
tered upon and kept at till accomplished,
at about which time the approach Of the re-
lief gave notice that the two hours had ex-
PRED.
This simple expedient by fixing the mind
upon the accom- lishment of certain OBJ
ject, served to hasten the fight Of time.
Some of these lone nights when on guard
the only living thing seemed to be the
Southern mocking-bird. Sometimes the
singer would make his presence known in
some thick bush near by in burst Of song
that in succession mimicked every bird Of
the forest.
While encamped at this place papers
were received containing full account OF
the capture of Jefferson Davis. This oc-
CURED May 10, 1865, at Irwinsville, Ga.
The captors were a body of men under
Colonel Pritchard, of the Fourth Michigan
cavalry.
The capture of the President of the
Southern Confederacy at the time OF its
occurrence occasioned much rejoicing, and
removed tho last vestige of Southern re-
sistance.
One day in June the writer, with two or
three companions, went black berrying in
a heavily tim bered section, two or three
miles from camp, situated in low region
of country in which were several swamps
and bayous.
After time, while picking some berries
and moving about in quest Of others, the
writer became separated from his compan-
ions. Meantime the sun became obscured
I by heavy clouds, it began to thunder and
threaten rain, while IN almost every direc-
ton could be heard the deep believing Of
alligators They seemed near by, and their
unearthly noise was not calculated to add
to the cheerfulness of one alone in heavy,
strange forest in an enemy's country and
with terrific storm approaching.
Fortunately, however, the storm passed
around and the writer soon found his way
out Of the timber and in due time reached
! camp with good supply of nice berries.
Speaking of allgators, the writer recalls
an experience, with what was supposed to
be one, in the early spring of 1863, while
marching across the peninsula opposite
Vicksburg, when upon the campaign
against that stronghold.
The command had halted for day or two
ion the writer set out for hunt The
whole region nearly was more or less under
water, and we were obliged to make our
way for the most part upon levee that
led along the banks of a bayou. Pretty
soon we saw what was thought to be an
alligator sticking his head QUITO the water.
We both had army muskets that carried
large minnie ball. One Of US took aim and
fired very deliberately, but made no i'm
preston upon the object aimed at, but as
slligators are VIGOROUSLY non-impression-
able to tullets, nothing was thought of
this, and another shot was fired.
About this time the alligator jerked
his head under water, but soon put it out
again, and this operation he repeated
at short intervals. Meantime shot after
shot was fred. and at last one knocked off
large piece of bark from the end of a
gray, weather-beaten log that lay in the
stream in such q position that while one
end was imbedded in the mud the other
projected up stream and just came &c the
surface upon which it rose and fell with
the current. This, technically called by
boatnen sawyer was what we had
I fnlrnx, Txw ofIfOn4nrSe hcad cu1 Grad a